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was type classified in 1972 and first deployed in service in 1976. It was very similar to

the PMP but was constructed of lightweight aluminium instead of heavier steel.

In 1977 the West German Bundeswehr decided to adopt the SRB with some

modifications and improvements, entering service in 1979 as the Faltschwimmbrücke, or
Foldable Floating Bridge (FSB). Work on designing an improved version of the U.S.

SRB incorporating features of the German FSB began in the 1990s, with first
deployment by the U.S. Army in the early 2000s as the Improved Ribbon Bridge (IRB).

In addition to the U.S. and Germany, the IFB/SRB/FSB/IRB has been adopted by the
Armed Forces of Australia, Brazil, Canada, the Netherlands, Portugal, South Korea and

Sweden, among others.

3.13. YUGOSLAV WARS

During the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s, the Maslenica Bridge was destroyed and a short
pontoon bridge was built by Croatian civilian and military authorities in July 1993 over a

narrow sea outlet in the town of Maslenica, after the territory was retaken from Serbian

Krajina. Between 1993 and 1995 the pontoon served as one of the two operational land
links toward Dalmatia and Croat- and Bosnian Muslim-held areas of Bosnia-

Herzegovina that did not go through Serb-held territory.

In 1995 the 502nd and 38th Engineer Companies of the U.S. Army's 130th Engineer

Brigade, and the 586th Engineer Company from Ft. Benning GA, operating as part
of IFOR assembled a Standard Ribbon Bridge under adverse weather conditions across

the Sava River near Županja (between Croatia and Bosnia), with a total length of 2,034

feet (620 m). It was dismantled in 1996.

3.14. IRAN-IRAQ WAR

Numerous Pontoon Bridges were constructed by the Iranians and Iraqis to cross the various
rivers and marshes alongside the Iraqi border. Notable instances include one constructed

over the Karkeh River to ambush Iraqi Armor during Operation Nasr, and another where

they crossed certain marshes during Operation Dawn 8. They were extremely prominent
due to their use in allowing for tanks and transports to cross rivers.

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